Frequently Asked Questions
Overview
+ Why do we need to test? ▿
See our section on Why Test Regularly .
The goal of regular COVID-19 testing in schools is to quickly identify cases before they become outbreaks. When used alongside other mitigation strategies, like distancing and face masks, testing creates an additional level of reassurance that it is safe to keep schools open with students and educators in the classroom in person.
+ Do we still need to wear masks and distance when we are testing? ▿
See our section on Do We Still Need to Wear Masks and Distance? .
Yes. Testing is just one layer of protection. Mitigation measures like masks and distancing are also crucial.
+ Do we still need to test once people in our school start getting vaccinated? ▿
Yes! While vaccination ramps up and until it reaches all members of the school community, public health and education leaders believe testing is still an important safety measure.
MA DESE Pooled Testing Program
+ How is the program funded? ▿
See our page on Massachusetts K12 Pooled Testing Program.
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will pay for an initial six-week pooled testing launch for all interested districts which will run through April 18, 2021. If you are outside of Massachusetts, not in a K12 school, or we are outside of the application window, you can use your school district’s or childcare centers federal relief payments or other budgets to pay for the program.
+ What happens after state funding ends after April 18th? ▿
See our page on Massachusetts K12 Pooled Testing Program.
Following the pilot launch, districts and schools may continue using pooled testing by purchasing the tests and any other accompanying testing materials, software, or support from a statewide contract using their federal stimulus dollars. DESE is creating a new contract list for schools to buy off of.
Testing Operations
+ Does the provider that does the swabbing or saliva sample collection for the younger kids have to be a healthcare professional (e.g. school nurse)? If not, how do we train this person? ▿
See our sections on Identifying your Testing Team.
- On-Site Pooled Testing: Identifying your Testing Team.
- In-Lab Pooled Testing: Identifying your Testing Team.
While school nurses tend to make great candidates, a nursing degree or specialized medical training is not necessary to fulfill any of these roles. Training materials are provided by your vendor and by Abbott BinaxNOW trainings.
None of the tests used as a part of school pooled testing programs, including BinaxNOW, require trained medical professionals. The FDA’s emergency use authorization for BinaxNOW states that it can be administered by "medical professionals or trained operators who are proficient in performing rapid lateral flow tests." Guidance from DPH and Abbott (the BinaxNOW manufacturer) clearly state that there is no medical certification necessary to administer the Binaxnow. Test administrators must simply review Abbott’s video training modules and run control swabs as needed (once for every new kit and before an operator runs their first test).
+ Can kids younger than second grade self-swab? ▿
Some schools have had success with younger students self-swabbing.
+ What’s the best way to set up the testing station or system in school? ▿
See our sections on swab / saliva sample collection methods
- On-Site Pooled Testing Swab / Saliva Sample Collection Methods.
- In-Lab Pooled Testing Swab / Saliva Sample Collection Methods.
There are more and more great examples emerging as well. Reach out to a school mentor via our Peer-to-Peer hub to talk through ideas.
+ What PPE is needed? ▿
Anterior nasal swabs and saliva tests are not considered to be aerosol generating procedures, but PPE is recommended for people administering or observing the tests simply because, at times, they need to be close to the individual being tested.
See our sections on Keeping School Personnel Safe for specifics on what type of PPE is recommended for different involved personnel.
- On-Site Pooled Testing: Keeping School Personnel Safe
- In-Lab Pooled Testing: Keeping School Personnel Safe
+ How do we protect the privacy of students and staff? ▿
The data systems used to report results are all HIPAA-compliant. When a positive case is identified through an individual diagnostic test, that student or staff member should be immediately isolated. Doing so in a way that protects their privacy is important. We recommend talking to the person away from other students or staff. Remember that there are many reasons an individual might have to stay home from school and do not engage in speculation about why they are home.
+ Do individuals have to blow their nose before giving a nasal sample? ▿
This depends on the instructions from the lab. Ask your testing vendor if you’re not sure if this applies to you or not.
+ Do individuals have toabstain from eating and drinking before giving a saliva sample? ▿
In most cases, yes. Ask your testing vendor for specifics.
Pool Design
On-Site Pooled Testing
+ Should individuals who have previously tested positive for COVID-19 be included in pools? ▿
Most testing vendors instruct users to exclude individuals who have previously tested positive in pools for 90 days after their positive test. If you have specific questions, please ask your testing vendor.
+ Should we include teachers in pools after they’ve been vaccinated? ▿
Pending release of additional guidance, we recommend continuing to test teachers who are in person with others even if they are partially or fully vaccinated.
+ What happens if a student is absent on the day they’re supposed to be pool-tested? ▿
No worries, test them next week!
+ Is there a minimum pool size? ▿
This will depend on instructions from the lab. Ask your testing vendor if you’re not sure what size pool is required.
+ What is the recommended pool size? ▿
Each lab has its own maximum pool size, so check with them if you are not sure. If you are in a high prevalence area and many of your pools are coming back positive, consider making smaller pools to minimize the need for follow-up testing.
Consenting and Communications
+ What rate of participation do I need to make my testing worth it? ▿
We don’t know exactly, but we do know that any testing is better than no testing. Every time you identify and isolate a positive, you have made your school community safer.
+ How do I collect consent? ▿
See our section on Getting Consent for details and templates.
+ How do I introduce my school community to the program and get them to sign up? ▿
See our section on Introducing the Pooled Testing Program which includes templates and messages for both families and for educators and other staff.
+ How do I increase participation? ▿
See our section on Launching the Program and Increasing Participation.
We recommend regular and repeated communications about the program through various channels (email, paper, robo call, social media) to reach families. Some schools have also required testing for participation in sports or other after school activities. If you’d like to talk to a school that is working through the same challenges, we recommend searching our Peer-to-Peer hub to find a mentor school to discuss with.
+ What should I say to individuals in a positive pool? ▿
See our section on Communicating about Positive Cases and, for on-site pooled testing, please see our phone script and email templates in the same section.
Follow-Up Testing
On-Site Pooled Testing
+ Where and when should I do my follow-up testing? ▿
See our section on Follow-up Testing Protocols and our See our section on Follow-up Testing Guide for advice on follow-up testing.
Follow-up testing can be performed in a central testing hub, through a follow-up testing network, through mobile testing units, or a variety of other means. When determining your follow-up testing location please keep in mind the following requirements related to BinaxNOW test kits.
- Nasal swabs should be tested as soon as possible and within 1 hour from collection. Immediately is best.
- All materials should be at room temperature, between 59o-86o F, before and during testing
- Test kit should be placed on a flat surface
- Results should be read promptly at 15 minutes, and not before. Results should not be read after 30 minutes
+ If all Binax and PCR reflex tests come back negative, should we rule it a false positive? ▿
Yes, if you’ve tested everyone on individual PCR tests and the positive has not been identified, you can safely rule the pooled test a false positive.
+ What happens when we find the positive case? ▿
Please see our section on Identifiying and Isolating Positive Cases.
When you find a positive case, the first thing to remember is that this is a good thing - you just made your school safer for everyone! Second, you should deploy your contact tracing protocol that you have developed in collaboration with your local Board of Health. Please see our section on Close Contacts and Other Public Health Guidance.
Public Health Guidance
+ Do members of a positive pool need quarantine in between their positive pool result and their follow-up test result? ▿
See our section on Close Contacts and Other Public Health Guidance and our Follow-Up Testing Guide.
No. Students who are part of a positive pool do not need to quarantine while they await their Follow-Up Test results, unless they are symptomatic. If not symptomatic, individuals in a positive pool will often return to school for Follow-Up Testing. These individuals do not have to quarantine and can ride on buses or take their normal transportation method to school, as long as they are not symptomatic.
Symptomatic students should follow the DESE Protocols for Responding to COVID-19. Individuals who receive positive, follow-up individual test results will need to be isolated as defined in the DESE Protocols for Responding to COVID-19.
+ What defines a close contact in a school testing program? ▿
Please see our section on Close Contacts and Other Public Health Guidance.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health defines close contacts as being within 6 ft of a COVID-19 case while the case was symptomatic or within 2 days before symptom onset OR a positive test, if asymptomatic, for a total of 15 minutes during the day or having direct contact with infectious secretions of a COVID-19 case while not wearing PPE.
+ What does that mean for quarantining and testing? ▿
Please see our section on Close Contacts and Other Public Health Guidance.
Local boards of health are best positioned to provide advice on quarantine requirements for individual cases. The CDC suggests that close contacts quarantine for at least 7 days (with a negative test and no symptoms), at least 10 days (with symptom monitoring and no symptoms), or at least 14 days (with symptoms)
As a reminder, when individuals exit quarantine, they must continue masking and complying with other safety measures.
+ What is our role in contact tracing? ▿
Please see our section on Close Contacts and Other Public Health Guidance.
This is a very local decision. There are many different models for contact tracing being deployed in Massachusetts schools. It is important to be in close contact with your local board of health to determine what role the school will play vs. the local board of health. Statewide contact tracing resources are also available via the Massachusetts Community Tracing Collaborative will reach out to provide support to those individuals, work to identify close contacts, and reach out to them. When talking with your local board of health, you can reference various resources available to them including from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Massachusetts Association of Health Boards.
+ What date should we use to start contact tracing? ▿
Please see our section on Close Contacts and Other Public Health Guidance.
If an asymptomatic individual tests positive for COVID-19, the infectious period is considered to begin 2 days prior to the collection of their positive test. The date of the pooled test should be used to determine the infectious period.
+ When can a positive individual return to school again? ▿
Please see our section on Close Contacts and Other Public Health Guidance.
If a student or staff member has a positive test result, they will need to stay in self-isolation for at least 10 days and until at least 24 hours have passed with no fever and improvement in symptoms, without the use of fever reducing medications." The isolation period should begin on the day the first positive test specimen was taken, which is most likely the pooled test. They may return to school at the end of this period.
+ Are there different rules for early education providers than for K-12 schools? ▿
The general principles are the same, but we recommend reviewing the COVID-19 Child Care Playbook from the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care for specific public health guidance for your COVID-19 testing program.
If a student or staff member has a positive test result, they will need to stay in self-isolation for at least 10 days and until at least 24 hours have passed with no fever and improvement in symptoms, without the use of fever reducing medications." The isolation period should begin on the day the first positive test specimen was taken, which is most likely the pooled test. They may return to school at the end of this period.